Sometimes our favorite shows bring us close to a heart attack. This year alone we’ve been subjected to so many shocking twists (many involving death or murder) that our heads are still spinning. It wouldn’t be good television if we weren’t gnawing at our fingernails and screaming incoherently at the screen. Beware, sensitive viewers – there are major spoilers below.
1. King Joffrey's poisoning on Game of Thrones:
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This was a welcome twist, indeed. It’s safe to say we all hated Joffrey, but man, what an unpleasant way to go. GoT always hits us with a shocker when we least expect it. (Still not over the Red Wedding either).
2. Beth dies on The Walking Dead:
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This one is still fresh in our minds because it was so utterly senseless! Why, Beth, why?! We were just starting to get to know you and then you made us cry.
3. Frank Underwood pushes Zoe in front of a train on House of Cards:
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We knew Frank was coldblooded when he offed Peter Russo in season one, but the murder of Kate Mara’s character just took things to a whole new level of evil. It occurred in the very first episode of season two, no less! We were all, “Wait, what just happened?"
4. Mona is murdered on Pretty Little Liars:
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Most of the time, no one ever really dies on PLL. But this time, PLL shocked us by showing us Mona unquestionably dead in the trunk of a car. She had just redeemed herself too. Did Ali do it?!
5. Anna gets raped on Downton Abbey:
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Poor, sweet Anna. We never thought Downton would go this dark, but it did.
6. There are male clones on Orphan Black:
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Sarah and Co. aren’t the only clones out there. In the show’s season two finale, we discovered there are male clones, too. Trouble just doubled. Or is it quadrupled?
7. Will Gardner gets killed off on The Good Wife:
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Did anyone see that coming? Apparently not, given the enraged response from fans after Josh Charles’ character met his maker.
8. Daniel Grayson dies saving Emily on Revenge:
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Daniel, who once shot Emily in the stomach, redeemed himself by taking a bullet for his former fiancée. We knew someone major was heading for the grave, but we were still pretty bummed to see Emily lose yet another love interest.
9. Brody returns from the dead (sort of) on Homeland:
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Oh em gee. We thought we’d seen the last of Damian Lewis, but the writers of Homeland had other ideas. Ok, so he wasn’t really back from the dead, it was just Carrie’s delusion. But we can’t say we didn’t shriek when it happened.
10. Olivia Pope’s dad has the president’s son killed on Scandal:
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We find out Rowan Pope killed Fitz's son in the season three finale. Killing a kid? Not cool, man. Not cool. This was a pretty horrifying revelation.
11. Jax learns his mother killed his wife on Sons of Anarchy:
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The final season of SOA had more twists than a pretzel, but this was a pretty big development. In the show's penultimate episode, Jax finds out his own mother, Gemma, killed his beloved wife - and then he kills her. Yikes.
What do YOU think the most shocking twist of the year was? Tell us on social media!
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British artist Tracey Emin is the latest star to give the BRIT award a makeover. Bosses behind the British music award ceremony have previously commissioned Damien Hirst and Sir Peter Blake to put their own twist on the statuette's design, and now Emin will add her unique touch to next year's (15) trophies.

HBO
After a season that has seen the death of a king, the gruesome head-smashing of our newest hero, heartbreak, betrayal, and giants, it's somewhat surprising that "The Children" ends on such a hopeful note, with Arya Stark staring out over the sea, on her way to a new life in Braavos.
It's a fitting and satisfying ending for a season that has seen power shift so drastically, one that has taken the status quo, or whatever comes closest in Westeros, torn it apart, and scattered the pieces to the wind. It's an ending full of possibility, change and even some excitement, one that firmly places both the children and the Children in the spotlight for next year, by focusing firmly on the future. And it's the capper to what is perhaps Game of Thrones' best season finale yet, an episode that managed to have thematic coherence and shocking twists and turns, and to have put the pieces for upcoming seasons in place while still being an entertaining hour of television. Even if Lady Stoneheart never showed up.
Normally, Game of Thrones packs the biggest shocks of the season into its penultimate episode, leaving the finale open as the time when characters can react and recover from whatever tragic and gruesome death (because it is always a tragic and gruesome death) just shook everything up. It would be easy for "The Children" to be nothing but a reaction episode showing the way the Battle for Castle Black and Tyrion's trial by combat has caused shock waves through the Seven Kingdoms, and saved all of the big shocks for next season. But the fourth season of Game of Thrones subverted its expected formula early, killing off Joffrey in the second episode and packing at least one major twist or death in every episode since, some more successfully than others. Joffrey's death has had the biggest, most expansive impact on the series since Ned Stark was beheaded. Like that original shock it has the biggest impact not on the old guard who used to hold the power in the Seven Kingdoms, but on the next generation, and "The Children" saw that generation inherit their legacy, their future, and in the case of Tyrion, their fathers' worst characteristics.
If the final shot of Arya on the boat is a perfect summation of the episode's themes and of the possibility that awaits these characters in seasons to come, the shot of Tyrion threatening his father with a crossbow while the latter is on the toilet is also fitting, a physical representation of the circle of abuse, desire for power, and hatred coming to a close. Though Tyrion has never been the most noble center, he had a goodness to him that Jaime and certainly Cersei were lacking, and that separated him from the father who never wanted to claim him as his son. However, killing Shae, the only woman he has ever loved, by strangling her in his father's bed is such a characteristically Tywin act that it connects the two in a way that Tyrion has never anticipated or wanted. Peter Dinklage gives a great performance here, exhibiting all of the horror and heartbreak he feels at her second betrayal and his reaction to it, as well as the shock at what he's capable of. Even Tyrion seems to know that he wasn't justified in his actions, that they were cruel and unforgivable and exactly what Tywin would do in that situation.
HBO
So when he holds that crossbow up to his father, and declares with a cold sincerity "I am your son. I have always been your son," he's not just making sure that Tywin faces up to his legacy before he dies, he's also admitting the harshness and cruelty that was always there, under the surface. Despicable though he was, Tywin was a wonderful character to watch, always capable of shaking things up without warning, and he will be missed. Charles Dance gives his last lines a dry wit, bantering easily with Dinklage before taking a stake to the chest, and it's hard not to regret the death of someone who can make sitting on the toilet an act of dignity and grace. But Tyrion shows no mercy, leaving his father there to die in humiliation before being spirited away on a ship with Varys in tow.
His last moments of the season aren't the only parallel to Arya's storyline. She too is forced to choose between mercy and cruelty when faced with a dying Hound, who has been brutally beaten and fatally wounded by Brienne. In a way, she chooses both, ignoring his taunts and pleas for her to kill him and simply walking away, leaving him to the long, agonizing process of dying. Though Arya doesn't put him out of his misery, she can't bring herself to murder the man who, admittedly in a dangerous and unconventional fashion, protected her on her journey. Arya has another parallel in Brienne: they are two strong, self-sufficient women who were more interested in learning to sword fight than in adhering to the way society expects them to behave. Both have seen cruelty and abuse, both have pulled themselves up by the bootstraps and continued on through everything, and both need to go their own ways and set out on their own journeys. Brienne is offering protection and shelter, but Arya knows that she can only rely on herself now. She never fully trusted the Hound, and she certainly doesn't trust Brienne; as these two surrogate parents battle over custody of her, Arya makes the decision to protect herself, and in that moment she grows up more than she ever did by stabbing a man with Needle.
Just as one of Arya's journeys has thankfully come to an end, so has her brother's. Both Arya and Bran had some exciting moments this season, but the vast majority of their screentime was spent wandering around in the wilderness, and frankly, it was one of the less interesting plots of the year. But watching Arya set sail for a new life and Bran-as-Hodor beat up skeleton zombies makes everything worth it, if only because it sets up some truly exciting arcs for next year. Bran comes into his own on a trek to see The Children, the ancient people who have inhabited Westeros since the beginning of time, and who will exist until the end. Still, in order to gain anything in Game of Thrones, you must first lose something of value, and in order to grow into his Warging abilities and his future, Bran must watch Jojen get killed by a skeleton, although the sadness was somewhat undercut by the hilariously awkward CGI the moment involved.
It's a price that Jon Snow knows all too well, having watched the love of his life die last week. Now in command of Castle Black (in action, if not in name) he sets out on a suicide mission to establish a peace treaty with Mance Rayder, only to have the moment interrupted when Stannis Baratheon rides in with an army to rescue Castle Black. Despite Stannis having the army, it's Jon who has the power here, finally getting to embrace his legacy as Ned Stark's son, rather than being shunted aside as his bastard. Like Ned, Jon is one of the few truly noble men in Westeros, but he's seen more than his father did, and he understands that the world and the people who inhabit it aren't black and white, so he has a chance at making it further in the game than Ned did. For Jon, it's not only about right and wrong, but about what's smart, what's merciful, and what's best for each individual situation.
"The Children" also sees Cersei and Daenerys making difficult choices in order to protect their children. Cersei, desperate not to be separated from her last child, reveals to Tywin the truth about her relationship with Jaime. Lena Headey's performance has gone mostly underappreciated as Cersei slides further and further into despair, and her wild-eyed delivery as Cersei plays the final card she has up her sleeve in a bid to hold onto what little power is left to her is pitch perfect. Dany, meanwhile, is forced to choose between her dragons and her people, and must lock her "children" away for everyone's protection. It's a sad, ironic moment for the woman who prides herself on being the "Breaker of Chains," but it's a crucial part of Dany learning to be a great leader, an ancestral legacy left for her by her own family.
In the process of establishing the significant changes that these characters have gone through and the new futures that await them on the other side of the hiatus, "The Children" also drives home how loose the show's structure has become. It still struggles to find a way to balance the numerous storylines so that the important moments have the right amount of impact and weight, but with every character at a different point in the journey that was laid out for them in the books, it's difficult to predict what the show is going to cover in the upcoming seasons, and just how well it will be able to keep a hold on everything. Just like Arya's future is laid out ahead of her in endless possibilities, the show's future is just as uncertain, and there are endless ways that events can play out, and endless changes that can be made.
Episode grade: A-, or Two flame-throwing child fairies that live in the woods. Here's hoping things get even more otherworldly and fantastic in the episodes left to come.
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HBO
This post contains spoilers for season 4 of Game of Thrones, as well as the books A Feast for Crows and A Dance With Dragons.
With the fourth season of Game of Thrones coming to an end on Sunday, there’s still one big question looming over the Seven Kingdoms. No, not the fate of Tyrion Lannister or whether Jon Snow will be able to hold off the second Wildling invasion. It’s the issue of whether or not the show will be able to maintain its current momentum as it runs out of source material to draw from. It’s a topic that both the showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and author George R.R. Martin have discussed many times in the past, but the fifth season is when the question becomes less hypothetical and much more real.
Thus far, Martin has published five out of the seven planned novels in the series, with Book 4 – A Feast For Crows – and Book 5 – A Dance with Dragons – covering the same period of time from different characters’ perspectives. The show, meanwhile, has just finished adapting the third book, having split the content of A Storm of Swords into two seasons. At the moment, the plan is for Benioff and Weiss to adapt books four and five together, so that the storylines run concurrently on screen. However, while they can easily get two or three more seasons out of those novels, the writers are still faced with the issue of pacing, seeing as they’ve already run through the source material for several characters already. Over the course of the last season, Sansa Stark has managed to escape from King’s Landing, been taken by Petyr Baelish to her aunt in the Vale, dealt with her aunt’s jealousy, witnessed her murder, helped cover up that murder, and is now fully disguised as Alayne Stone and set to accompany her cousin Robin and Lord Baelish on a tour of the Eyrie. While it’s been exciting to watch the way her character has changed and adapted over the course of the year, there’s one glaring issue with where the show left off with her: there’s no more plot to draw from the books for her.
Sansa’s story in A Storm of Swords ends with Lysa Arryn being sent through the moon door, but because the show moved that event to the middle of the fourth season, the writers needed to draw on A Feast For Crows in order to find enough material to resolve her plot. Most of her storyline in that novel covers the time after Lysa’s death and the reveal of Lord Baelish's plan to disguise her as Alayne Stone until she can claim Winterfell and ally her home with the Vale. While the events of Season 4 diverge slightly from the text, it still leaves us at the same place that we are now, with Sansa willing to play along in order to get back to Winterfell. Season 5 gives the writers the option to take Sansa’s story in any direction they wish, now that they’ve covered almost all of her source material. Though Benioff and Weiss have revealed that Martin has told them where the books are headed so that they can all write towards the same ending, they are free to interpret the major plot events however they choose. Using up all of Sansa’s material in A Feast For Crows early means that they now have to decide how closely her story on the show will align with the events of the novels.
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It’s not just Sansa who is affected by the differing paces that the writers are taking with the various storylines; almost all of the main characters are at different points in the novels. There’s still a great deal left of Tyrion’s story from A Storm of Swords which hasn’t been covered yet, and depending on how much the writers decide to pack into the finale, they could soon find themselves at the end of his plot as well. It’s going to be difficult for the show to drag out Daenerys’ storyline into two seasons, let alone three, as A Dance with Dragons focuses on her rule of Mereen. Meanwhile, Bran’s still journeying to find the Three-Eyed Crow, and considering how infrequently he’s appeared in Season 4, the writers are going to have their work cut out for them attempting to get three seasons worth of material from his plot. And if the show is working towards on particular twist, as Lena Headey’s Instagram account has been hinting, they’re going to need to hurry Brienne along in her quest, because she’s still nowhere near where she needs to be in order for everything to fall into place.
Though this past season has seen the show diverge significantly from the novels, it’s really the fifth season that marks a significant turning point for Game of Thrones. With so many storylines matching up with various markers in the novels, Benioff and Weiss have more freedom to put their mark on Westeros than they ever have before, which means that even fans who have read the books may soon have no idea what’s coming for their favorite characters. The choices that they make in Season 5 will determine how closely the show will hew to the book for its last few years, or whether they will throw out the novels altogether, and create a universe of their own.
Until we see the finale on Sunday, it’s hard to predict which direction Denioff and Weiss will take, but there are a few things we can guess about the next few years of Game of Thrones. For one thing, there’s still tons of material for Stannis, Davos and Melisandre left to cover, and so we'll probably spend a lot more time with the King of Dragonstone next year. The Greyjoys are in a similar position, as is Ramsay Bolton and there’s an important journey for Arya to go on. All of those stories are likely going to play a major role in the next season or two in order for Benioff and Weiss to set the characters up for the sixth and seventh novels. Though the long period of time that Martin takes in between each novel has become a joke among fans, it’s going to have a major impact on the show very soon. The end of the fourth season will leave the writers with several important decisions to make, which will affect the show for the rest of its run, and while Sunday’s episode will no doubt end with a cliffhanger of some sort, next season will have to answer a lot more questions than one episode could possibly raise.
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HBO
On this week's Law and Order: Westeros, Tyrion Lannister finally gets his day in court for the murder of King Joffrey.
Much like the episode in which that murder took place, "The Laws of Gods and Men" spent much of its time on a single event, with all of King's Landing's biggest schemers showing up to offer testimony against Tyrion, who had resigned himself to execution in weeks ago. It's not entirely clear whether Tywin actually believes that his son killed Joffrey, but the second Ser Merryn takes the stand, it becomes clear that it doesn't matter what Tyrion did or didn't do. It's a sham of a trial designed only to humiliate Tyrion before finally sending him off to the executioner.
But Tyrion isn't the only one dealing with the consequences and trappings of justice: over in Mereen, Daenerys is discovering that being queen is slightly more complicated than building an army. As she meets with a nobleman whose father she had crucified in payment for killing those slave girls — a crime which he vehemently objected to and campaigned against — the discomfort of learning that she might have been unjust herself is clear on Emilia Clarke's face. Dany has always seen things in relatively black and white terms, punishing all those who have done something wrong, which means she has a lot to reevaluate if she's going to rule the morally grey King's Landing. Forcing Dany to deal with the actual day-to-day politics of ruling is a welcome development for the show, as it not only breaks up the repetive nature of her story, but it also puts her in the uncomfortable position of having to take judge her own policies and see what she needs to change about the way she sees the world in order to be the right queen for Westeros.
Meanwhile, in Braavos, Stannis is also in an uncomfortable position, attempting to convince the Iron Bank to fund his planned attack on King's Landing. The King of Dragonstone has never had strong people skills, a flaw which comes to the forefront in this conversation. His worst quality is that he seems to believe that everyone else in Westeros will simply do whatever he says becuase he has the right to the throne, which means that he is terrible at politics and coersion. And since the only thing Dragonstone exports is shadow demons, he needs all of the political savvy he can get to convince the Iron Bank to help him out.
Luckily, he has Ser Davos at his side, who is quickly proving himself to be an adept Hand of the King, despite his humble beginnings. Not only does Davos know the right way to approach the Bank, but he's also a suprisingly smooth talker when the situation requires it, showcasing his severed fingertips and advocating for Stannis as a just and fair man. It's a rare quality in Westerosi leaders, and it's clearly something that intrigues the Iron Bank enough to win them over. Stannis doesn't seem to know the advantage he has with Davos, as he's still relying far too much on Melisandre and the Lord of the Light. But after the fires burn out, he'll need someone smart enough to help him run the country, and Davos is clearly the best man for the job.
In an episode filled with sudden betrayal and underhanded deals, Davos' display of loyalty is one of only two, although the other one — between Reek and Ramsay Snow — is less rewarding. Yara Greyjoy has finally made her way across the sea in order to bring her brother home. But the person she finds in his place is no longer her brother, and instead of running to her side, he cowers in the corner of his dog cage. Alfie Allen's performance as Reek is one of the show's higlights, although it's hard to watch how sad and broken he is. His shuddering and screaming is a great contrast to Gemma Whelan's steady determination, and even when she heads back to the ships to leave the shell of her brother behind, it's clear that she won't let this development break her down. But the scene truly belongs to Iwan Rheon, who changes the whole nature of his face with a shift of his eyes. It's a slightly terrifying performance, as he easily moves between wide-eyed innocence and grinning madness, and while it's never easy to enjoy his scenes, he's always difficult to look away from.
However, all of that is just leading up to the real focus of the hour: Tyrion's trial. The concepts of justice and fairness established by the other characters are offset by how obviously the deck is stacked against Tyrion for a crime he didn't commit. From Tywin's hilariously pointed opening line — "Did you kill the king?" — things begin to go downhill for everyone's favorite Lannister. The writers' choice to have the witnesses recount the various times that Tyrion had threatened the "sainted" king, moments that we, as the audience cheered him on for, divorced from their original context give the trial a nice twist. Without Joffrey's behavior to balance out Tyrion's actions, those tiny moments of pride we felt when the first occured now seem monstrous, and only help to dig him a deeper grave.
Which makes Jaime's bargain with Tywin less satsfying than Tyrion's own desperate attempt at ensuring justice. Though Jaime manages to negotiate Tywin down to sending his brother to the Nightswatch (and why Jaime thought he could out-manipulate his father in the first place is mystifying), Tyrion throws the deal out the second Shae returns to take the stand. It's less about proving Tyrion guilty than it is about humiliating him totally and completely in front of the people of court, and Tyrion recognizes this. Peter Dinklage has had some great scenes this season, but the second Shae walks into the throne room, he unleashes a tour de force that begins with him half-collapsing in his seat at the sight of her.
Her arrival livens up what had thus far been a standard courtroom scene, with the tension building and building as she reveals the intimate screts of their relationship. Finally unable to bear the shame and hurt that Shae's testimony is causing him, Dinklage unleashes everything he has with a monologue that reveals every bit of fury that he's been carrying around his whole life. Watching it, you can practically hear the scene being shipped off to Emmy voters, because it's probably the best bit of scenery chewing that Dinklage has gotten to do since Season 1.
It culminates with Tyrion's desperate attempt to take his fate in his own hands as he demands a trial by combat. It's not done out of a hope of winning, as Tyrion seems to believe that he's living on borrowed time at the moment, but calculated to throw his father off-balance, and take the power out of his hands. It's clearly not a move that Tywin anticipated, nor one that Jaime appreciates, having just given away his life to Tywin in exchange for Tyrion's, but it's a last-ditch effort to go out on his own terms. Tyrion's right in that he's really on trial for being a dwarf, for killing his mother in childbirth, for the millions of other infractions that Tywin has counted against him all of his life, and after being humiliated by the woman he loves in front of all of the people he's ever hated in his life, Tyrion will be damned if he goes down without a fight.
This season of Game of Thrones has spent a lot more time on the events unfolding in King's Landing, but it's hard to be upset about it when the result is scenes like Tyrion's trial, with all of the scheming, dealing and snarking coming to a head in one, incredibly acted moment. Sure, the dragons are cool, but in the end, they've got nothing on Dinklage.
Episode grade: A-, or Two Whispering Varys', who made a much-welcome return this week to banter with Oberyn Martell. It was exactly as awesome as it sounds.

Showtime
Part of the appeal of Nurse Jackie is that the show is its moral ambiguity. For the first couple of seasons, antihero Jackie Peyton (Edie Falco) pops pills, breaks rules, neglects her family, but does whatever she can to save lives. However, the series has had a reckoning with Jackie hitting rock bottom multiple times. Was it when a guy she was using with almost died? Was it when she stole a bunch of pills and had a drug dealer after her? How about when her friend from rehab died? Or when she almost lost her kids? Try all of the above. But now she’s back to using. Not only is it sort of out of nowhere but it presents a confusing tone for the show.
When Nurse Jackie first started, the show was sort of a game of moral chicken. Jackie would get into all sort of illegal hijinks with audiences wondering if she’d get caught. But then the show forced her to 'fess up to all she’d done and atone for it. And this is the season that won Falco an Emmy. We have to wonder: is Jackie using again an attempt to get Falco another Emmy?
Last season ended with Jackie relapsing with her first pill in ages. Sure, it’s realistic that a drug addict would start using again. However, it’s a shocking choice to show Jackie, who was getting her life together, aggressively starting to use again without letting the audience get a feel for why. But she has always been an enigmatic character. It is challenging that we don’t really get to know why Jackie does what she does, but that’s probably some sort of huge subversive metaphor for drug addiction in general.
This season has woven some interesting twists into its characters. Jackie may be in the throes of drug use but at least she’s still going to meetings and found a sponsor, Antoinette (Julie White). White is a great no-nonsense voice and positive replacement for Jackie’s enabling friend Dr. O’Hara (Eve Best). Her daugher Grace (Ruby Jerins) is an addict as well, hooked on Aderall. The most interesting twist is having Dr. Cooper (Peter Facinelli) being more serious and mindful since turning 40. These changes are really upping the caliber of the characters on the show.
It’s a little disappointing that Jackie is using again because she didn’t get a chance to really explore sobriety. But it is great that everyone on the show is getting more serious while still retaining the sense of dark humor fans love. Here’s hoping we do get some insight into Jackie’s mind now that she has people like a sponsor to talk to and has a daughter that is using as well. Only time will tell but this season is definitely way more nail-biting than last.
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HBO
Sunday nights are always a great night for television, but this week, it seemed as if every channel had a major premiere, shocker or special event to brag about. Between the biggest Game of Thrones twist since the Red Wedding, the final season of Mad Men kicking off, and tweens screaming their heads off at the MTV Movie Awards, it's easy to get a bit overwhelmed by all of the TV options available, especially when you know that everyone in your office and Twitter feed will want to talk about nothing else. But rather than having to reveal that you didn't find a way to watch every single show that aired that night or avoid social media discussions until you're all caught up on the latest episode of Veep, we've created a handy run-down of all of the biggest Sunday night television moments to help you out. Whether it's the latest death on Game of Thrones or the strangest situation the Belchers have gotten themselves into, we've got all of the essential information about this weekend's must-see-TV and the best way to fake your way through a conversation about it. Let's start with the big ones:
MAJOR SPOILERS TO FOLLOW!
Show: Game of ThronesWhat Everyone's Talking About: Joffrey died after being poisoned at his wedding feast, and Cersei thinks that Tyrion is to blame. Also, both Stannis and Ramsay Snow continue to be slightly unhinged and a little terrifying and Bran is still alive and still in the woods. But nobody really cares about that, Joffrey's dead! How to Fake It: Just sing "Ding Dong, the Witch Is Dead" when the topic comes up in conversation. Everyone will join in, we guarantee it. Most Internet-Friendly Moment: Because Joffrey went out with an elaborate temper tantrum, this episode will have spawned more reaction .gifs than you could possibly imagine. Look for Joffrey pouring wine on Tyrion's head and Margaery's side eye to show up in a comment section very soon. Also, if everyone in your Twitter feed didn't make "burn" jokes when Loras put Jaime in his place, you need to follow new people. What Next?: Right now, the big question (for show-only fans, at least) is who killed Joffrey. Look for the Internet to abound with conspiracies, and for your more obnoxious Facebook friends to make status updates spoiling it for everyone. Honor the fallen king by pouring wine on their heads.
Show: Mad MenWhat Everyone's Talking About: On the final season premiere, Don went to Los Angeles in an attempt to find himself, and only found that Pete Campbell is still a complete tool. But he did meet Neve Campbell on the way home, so at least he's still got his charm and good looks. Peggy's breaking down under the pressure of both her professional and personal lives, and Joan took down Dan Byrd, only to be confronted by the realization that she is still undervalued and unappreciated at her job. How to Fake It: Attempt to pinpoint the exact moment that everyone watching the show stopped being madly in love with Don Draper, and instead started finding him kind of sad. Or just start talking about how Pete's the worst. Everyone wants to talk about that. Most Internet-Friendly Moment: Ken Cosgrove's one-eyed earring toss is almost as great as his Season 6 jig.What Next?: We'd speculate as to whether or not Don will have an affair with this new woman, but he totally will, so the point is moot. It's more fun to try and predict which references to 1969 the show will shoehorn in. We've got our money on the Moon Landing, Led Zeppelin, and the Manson murders (after all, Megan is in LA).
Show: The MTV Movie AwardsWhat Everyone's Talking About: Awards-wise, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was the big winner of the night, and We're The Millers caused an "upset" when Will Poulter scored both Best Newcomer and Best Kiss. Mark Wahlberg spent most of his Generation Award speech cursing, and everyone was strangely obsessed with Mila Kunis' baby bump. Oh, and Zac Efron took his shirt off, because that's what Zac Efron does now. How to Fake It: Ask if anyone caught the clip from The Fault in Our Stars that aired during the broadcast. If they don't immediately burst into tears over the beauty of Hazel and Gus' relationship, they'll probably launch into a rant about how twee and pretentious that book is. Either way, you don't have to say anything more. Most Internet-Friendly Moment: Shirtless Zac Efron. Considering how many pictures, GIFs and videos of that moment are online already, nobody else needed to bother showing up to the awards last night. What Next?: Remember that period of time between 2006 and 2009 when the whole world was obsessed with Zac Efron, to the point where it started to get a little uncomfortable? Yeah, we're heading back into that phase, and this time, it's going to be a lot weirder for everyone involved. It's a good thing you never forgot all the words to the High School Musical soundtrack.
Christopher Polk/Getty Images
Show: Veep What Everyone's Talking About: Selina's presidential campaign is officially and secretly underway, with Dan and Amy still vying for the role of campaign manager. Jonah has decided to reinvent himself as a political blogger, a job which requires him to scream insults into several cameras while wearing hideous sweaters and to bug Selina's staff for gossip. The POTUS drops a bombshell about his position on abortion, which forces Selina to scramble to find a response that will keep her voter-friendly. How to Fake It: If anyone attempts to segue a discussion of the episode into a discussion about real-world politics, call them some of the many names that have been lobbed at Jonah over the years. They will either change the subject in order to join in or they will get so offended they will never speak to you again. Either way, you win. Most Internet-Friendly Moment: Dan has a mini-breakdown over Selina's reluctance to pick a position, jumping and screaming and flailing his arms at the whiteboard in her office, before hunting Jonah down and shoving a breakfast burrito into his face. You need that in GIF form, trust us. What Next?: Selina is hitting the campaign trail, so it's time to place bets on how many people she will manage to offend per episode, or how many times Jonah will get punched this season. Those are the real issues.
Show: Bob's Burgers What Everyone's Talking About: Television's weirdest family took on possibly the strangest sub-culture around today, Bronies, when Tina heads to an Equestranauts convention, only to find that the other attendees are grown men. After one of them tricks Tina out of her favorite pony, Chariot, Bob decides to go undercover as a "Equisticle" and get his daughter her horse back. Yes, that involves him dressing up as a giant purple horse. How to Fake It: Bring up the fact that Bob's Burgers took on Bronies. If they know what a Brony is, watch them shudder in response. If they don't, explain it to them, and delight in the looks of horror your receive in response. Either way, someone will change the subject very quickly. Most Internet-Friendly Moment: Everything about that Equestraunauts convention. The Internet will never be the same again. What Next?: The only Bob's Burgers-related question worth asking is when the soundtrack is going to be released. How can they expect us to live in a world without a full version of Linda's "Harry Truman" hair-braiding song? And where is our copy of the best selling Boyz 4 Now album?
Show: The Good Wife What Everyone's Talking About: Not much, actually. Turns out that if a character isn't getting killed off in a dramatic fashion, people don't really care about what's going on with Alicia Florrick. This week, she's still recovering from Will's murder, although she has finally admitted to Peter that she was in love with Will. How to Fake It: Just pretend you were watching Game of Thrones instead. Everyone else was.Most Internet-Friendly Moment: Let's be real: your Twitter feed was dedicated entirely to Joffrey's death. Nobody knows what happened on The Good Wife. What Next?: Uh... Michael J. Fox is coming back sometime soon?
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Marvel Studios
It's almost summertime, which can only mean one thing: time for all of our favorite superheroes to return to the big screen. Over the next five months, Avengers, web-slingers, space bandits, and two different sets of mutants will arrive in theaters to entertain you with exciting new movies. But with so many coming out in such a short period of time, it can be hard to decide which ones to commit to. Do you go for the classic comic book appeal of Spider-Man, or take a chance on the weird goofiness of Guardians of the Galaxy? Do you see a new twist on a familiar face with Captain America or watch the Ninja Turtles make the jump from Saturday morning staple to blockbuster stars? Or do you just give in to the hero-packed, time-travelling insanity of the new X-Men?
It's a difficult decision, one that carries almost as much weight as the knowledge of which Ninja Turtle best fits your personality. After all, you don't want to be stuck with an adaptation you don't like, or a hero whose code of honor doesn't appeal to you. Luckily, we've created a handy guide to help you determine which 2014 superhero film is perfect for you, based on several key personality traits. You'll never have to worry about wasting popcorn or ticket money on the wrong superhero film again.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier Set a year after the events of The Avengers, Steve Rogers is living in Washington DC and learning to adjust to the modern world. However, when a colleague’s life is put in danger, he’s forced to shake off assassins, villains, and the mysterious Soviet agent known as The Winter Soldier in order to uncover a vast conspiracy. Opens April 4. What You Were Like as a Kid: You were a complete goody two-shoes, and were constantly worried about doing the right thing. You were never shy about calling out cheaters or line-cutters, even if it meant you would be branded a tattle-tale. Much to your friends’ annoyance, you always made an effort to include everyone in your games, and you always let people’s younger siblings stay at bat until they hit the ball. In high school, you were captain of the baseball team, and your probably ruined the grading curve for everyone. What You Wanted to Be When You Grew Up: President of the United States. Or a firefighter, since you dressed as one for four Halloweens in a row. Fictional Character You Idolize: Coach Eric Taylor from Friday Night Lights. He’s a leader, he’s a family man, he stands up for what’s right, and he fights for the underdog. “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose” is basically your mantra. Favorite Non-Superhero Film: Miracle. A story of determination, teamwork, good leadership, and overcoming insurmountable odds, with a little bit of patriotism thrown in for good measure.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Peter Parker is attempting to balance his personal life and his secret alter ego, but everything is thrown into disarray with the return of an old friend, Henry Osborn, and the emergence of new villains that might be stronger than he imagined. However, he soon discovers that all of his enemies have something to do with Oscorp, which may lead to a shocking discovery about his parents' death. Opens May 2. What You Were Like as a Kid: Rather than hanging out with a large group of friends, you pretty much stuck with one partner-in-crime. You managed to hide your mischievous side pretty well, which came in handy whenever you got into trouble (which was more often than you'd like to admit.) You were curious about everything, and you were constantly conducting "science experiments" and sneaking into places you shouldn't be for the sake of adventure. There weren't many things that scared you or freaked you out, and so you took a lot of risks and climbed a lot of trees. You were probably one of those kids who brought home random animals once a week as pets. What You Wanted to Be When You Grew Up: A scientist, a pilot, or a veterinarian. Or, ideally, some terrifying combination of all three. Fictional Character You Idolize: Abed Nadir from Community. Nobody really understands him, but he's smart, confident, and is never afraid of whatever strange, exciting adventure comes his way. Favorite Non-Superhero Film: The first three Indiana Jones films. An archaeologist who gets to travel to exotic locations, fight bad guys and be unbelievably cool? Sold.
Marvel Studios
X-Men: Days of Future Past When the entire mutant species is threatened with extinction, Wolverine must go into the past in order to help mend the broken relationship between Professor X and Magneto, and convince them to join with their future selves in order to stop a war before it even begins. Opens May 23. What You Were Like as a Kid: You were definitely the weird kid growing up, and you only surrounded yourself with other weirdos. You were never afraid to stand up for yourself against bullies who picked on your or your friends. You stayed up late on the weekends to watch scary movies, and you probably tried to make some horror/superhero movie hybrids in your backyard. You were the kind of kid who would collect bugs and worms to scare the other kids in your class with, and you always wanted to have a pet snake or tarantula. What You Wanted to Be When You Grew Up: Something creative, like a writer, director, or musician. Fictional Character You Idolize: Daria. You're the kind of person who admires wit above all else, looked down on everyone you went to school with and you can't remember the last time you said something that wasn't sarcastic. Favorite Non-Superhero Film: Edward Scissorhands. The weird, creepy outcast defeats the bullies, wins over Winona Ryder, finds a family who love and accept him and lives in a castle.
Guardians of the Galaxy Pilot Peter Quill accidentally finds himself being hunted by intergalactic forces after he steals a valuable relic that belongs to the evil Ronan the Accuser. In order to take him down, he teams up with a group of misfits — murderous Rocket Racoon, the strong, almost silent Groot, Drax the Destroyer, and former assassin Gamora — to make one final stand against the villain and protect the universe. Opens August 1.What You Were Like as a Kid: You were the class clown, always willing to make a fool of yourself in order to get a laugh. You were often sent to the principal's office for disrupting class, but everyone wanted you to play with them at recess. You pulled pranks on almost everybody, even though they weren't very successful, and you considered yourself to be something of an evil genius. You had a pet who was endlessly loyal to you, but hated every other person on the planet. You probably got things stuck up your nose a lot. What You Wanted to Be When You Grew Up: An astronaut, even though you wouldn't really get to fight aliens. Fictional Character You Idolize: Han Solo, the coolest, smoothest, most sarcastic smuggler in galaxies both near and far. And he marries a princess, so he's basically living the dream. Favorite Non-Superhero Movie: 21 Jump Street, because it combines your favorite things: comedy, action and two enthusiastic, if unprofessional, cops becoming major heroes.
Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesAfter Shredder and his evil henchmen take control of the city and wreak havoc, four brothers rise from the sewers in order ot become the world's most unlikely superheroes. Alongside fearless reporter April O'Neill and her team, they must stop Shredder and restore order to the city. Opens August 8. What You Were Like as a Kid: You were often described as being “spirited” or “a handful.” You were usually pretty hyper, and you spent a lot of time running around with a gang of friends, pulling pranks and having adventures. You’ve never been able to turn down a dare, and you were always willing to risk getting hurt or getting into trouble if it meant doing something crazy and fun. You lied and told everyone that you had a black belt in karate, and you probably spent far too much time in the Emergency Room. What You Wanted to be When You Grew Up: A Ninja Turtle, and you’re still a little heartbroken that dream hasn't yet come true.Fictional Character You Idolize: Spinelli from Recess, who was tough, funny, stood up for the little guy, and was never afraid to be herself. Truly, a hero of Saturday morning cartoons. Favorite Non-Superhero Movie: Hot Fuzz. It's funny, it's action-packed, it's violent, it's a little weird and it pays homage to the classic action movies that have come before it, which means it's technically educational as well.
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20th Century Fox Film via Everett Collection
Kissing is as much a part of movies as car chases and sarcastic best friends. All kinds of kisses have been captured on film, but there are some more than others that make us swoon as lovers lips join together.
We're taking a look at the most memorable kisses in film from the '80s on, including the Worst Kisses and the Most Perplexing Kisses. Here, however, are the kisses that made our hearts flutter.
Anna and Kristoff, Frozen
"I could kiss you," Kristoff says as he gleefully picks Anna up in the air. We watched the animated pair bond over an adventure to save her sister, Elsa, from the wrath of hostile villagers. The comment leads to a peck on the check that morphs into an embrace. Disney princesses always get their big kiss, but few are as well earned as Anna's.
Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman, While You Were Sleeping
You would expect a couple to have kissed — really kissed, not an under-the-mistletoe peck — prior to getting engaged, but such was not the case for Bullock's Lucy and her true love, Pullman's Jack. Falling in love while she pretended to be the fiancée of his in-a-coma brother, the pair skipped right to the ring after Jack (and his family) realized they couldn't live without Lucy. Sealing a marriage proposal with a kiss has never been sweeter.
Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, The Adjustment Bureau
The movie, about a shadow agency that controls everyone's lives, is a bit of a mess. What can't be denied, however, is the crazy chemistry that exists between Damon's politician and Blunt's mystery woman. Blunt follows Damon into the men's room at the Waldorf Astoria and strikes up a conversation about crashing a wedding. How does that lead to a passionate kiss? Well, what else were they going to do in the bathroom?
Jamie Foxx and Kerry Washington, Django Unchained
Quentin Tarantino is not known for romance, but in his Western epic, Foxx's Django is driven by only one thing: the desire to save his wife, played by Washington, from the clutches of a nefarious slaveowner. When Foxx finally tracks her down, trapped on a plantation owned by Leonardo DiCaprio's bad guy, we're treated to a slow, sweet, reverberating moment as Washington gradually realizes that her love has come for her. The kiss begins within a chilling silhouette until the camera turns to show the passion of lovers reunited.
Michael Cera and Kat Dennings, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Cera and Dennings' mixed-up teens actually kiss moments after meeting one another, as Dennings asks him to be her boyfriend for "five minutes" so that she can dupe a rival (who happens to be Cera's ex) into believing she isn't dateless. The real kiss, though, comes later on, as Dennings' Norah takes guitar aficionado Nick to see Electric Lady Studios. One thing leads to another and soon Dennings' impossibly full red lips are working overtime.
Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain
Much has been made over the years about the love scenes shared between Ledger and Gyllenhaal, even leading to a hilarious Jonah Hill rant in Knocked Up about the lack of explicitness. The duo brought a palpable passion to the movie in full, but there is something special about the urgency of the scene wherein Ledger's Ennis sees Gyllenhaal's Jack Twist from his apartment window and rushes to embrace him. As Ennis pushes Jack into a stairwell, the two attack each other like a pair of hungry wolves, throwing caution to the wind. Nearly 10 years later, the scene has lost none of its original impact.
John Cusack and Ione Skye, Say Anything...
Few teen romances have been as influential as Cameron Crowe's story of a high-achiever falling for the earnest slacker that dares to ask her out. As you would expect, there are multiple kisses throughout as the duo fall head over heels, including a particularly sweet embrace in the rain. It's when Skye's Diane Court realizes that she needs Cusack's Lloyd Dobler that takes the cake, though. The fact that she kind of distracted him during a sparring session, causing him to get his nose bashed in by Don "The Dragon" Wilson moments before only adds to the tenderness.
Leondardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, Titanic
Back in 1997, seemingly every woman on the planet wanted to trade places with Winslet's Rose. The romance aboard the doomed ship left movie audiences teary-eyed long after the credits rolled. In the iconic scene, DiCaprio's Jack takes Rose to the railing of the ship and extends her arms outward, making her feel as though she's... well, why not let her famous line tell the story. "I'm flying, Jack!" Rose exclaims, before Winslet turns backwards to let her lips meet DiCaprio's. No matter what happened after, thanks to Celine Dion, we're always assured that their hearts will go on.
Cary Ewles and Robin Wright, The Princess Bride
"Since the invention of the kiss," Peter Falk's narrarator intones in Rob Reiner's much-loved fantasy, "There have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind." Such is the power of the happy ending smooch that Ewles' Westley lays on Wright's Buttercup. For a guy that was "nearly dead" not long before, and a woman almost forced to marry a prince — not to mention that trip through the fire swamp — that seems like a fitting reward.
Molly Ringwald and Michael Schoeffling, Sixteen Candles
Ringwald's Sam had an epically bad birthday. Her family, preoccupied by her sister's impending wedding, forgets that it's even happening and the geeky Farmer Ted (Anthony Michael Hall) has parlayed a pair of her panties into a money-making venture. Worse, she's hopelessly in love with Schoeffling's senior dreamboat, Jake Ryan. As she exits her sister's nuptials and the crowd parts, there is Jake leaning against his sportscar waiting for her. As teen fantasies go, it's a hard one to top. Sam finally gets a birthday cake with the namesake candles and a sweet kiss from Jake to boot. It may have been a bit of a fire hazard, but it sure was romantic.
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Columbia Pictures via Everett Collection
Two new bits of information from the set of The Avengers: Age of Ultron. First, according to Twitch, the movie is looking to add a new international location to its filming schedule, and will be shooting in the Gangnam neighborhood of Seoul, South Korea. Rumors of a Korean shoot have been circulating for some time now, and although star Mark Ruffalo has shot them down in the past, Korean representatives have confirmed that South Korea will be joining Italy and the U.K. as filming locations for the upcoming film. In addition, Korean actress Kim Soo-hyun has been added to film's cast of thousands, and although her character has yet to be revealed she has reportedly been cast "in a villain role."
Kim's character would be the third villain in Age of Ultron, as James Spader and Thomas Kretschmann have already signed on to play Ultron and Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, respectively. It's very likely that her character will play more of a supporting role, and probably work for or with one of the two main villains of the film, although, since her role is being kept under wraps, there's still a chance that she would be playing a more prominent villain. Superhero films have often been known to use multiple villains as a way of distracting both the heroes and the audience from the real villain of the piece, which means either Strucker or Ultron would be used to draw attention away from a more important character. However, both Ultron and Strucker are long-term adversaries of the Avengers in the comics, so it would be a more logical choice for the film to use them as the primary villains.
Regardless of the size of the role that Kim will play, the addition of a third villain might be cause for concern amongst fans of the series. Of course, having multiple villains in a superhero film is nothing new, but it's a difficult feat to pull of successfully, which might explain why there are so few films in which such a trope has worked well. Most movies like to establish some sort of backstory for their villains, in order for the audience to understand why they have turned to evil, and why they choose to terrorize this particular city or hero. Adding a second or even third villain would then require additional backstory for those characters as well, which tends to eat up a significant amount of the film's runtime — not to mention the fact that a film can only sustain so many subplots before everything starts to become convoluted. Spider-Man 3 attempted to circumvent the backstory issue by connecting Sandman with Uncle Ben's murder, but even that became confusing when added to Harry Osborn inheriting his father's role as the Green Goblin and Venom turning to evil after a petty feud with Peter Parker. Yes, that film has a myriad of other issues, but having three separate superheroes competing for screentime and Spider-Man's attention did nothing but drag things down even further.
Of course, even if Kim is playing a more supporting, henchman-type role instead of being a distinct villain in her own right, that doesn't necessarily mean the film is in the clear. Iron Man 2 attempted to add in a second villain with the addition of Justin Hammer, who plays a secondary role to Ivan Vanko, and assists in his scheme to take down Tony Stark, but ultimately, his storyline feels like an unneccessary subplot, and he's dispatched with easily and quietly. The plot of the film works just as well without him, and he doesn't add anything important to Tony's story or even to Vanko's story, so all he's doing is providing addition wisecracks and taking attention away from the rest of the story. It's not just Marvel that has difficulty balancing multiple villains, either; The Dark Knight Rises attempted to work in both Bane and Talia al Ghul by having the former provide the main villainy causing problems within Gotham, while distracting Batman from the fact that Talia was the mastermind behind the whole thing. Most of the film's plot focused on Bane, and when it was revealed at the very end that his story was actually hers, it felt more like an attempt at a surprise twist ending than anything else. She was never given the attention needed to make that ending feel earned or justified, which again, results in the double-villain trope being unsuccessful.
Even without factoring in Kim's character, the deck is stacked against Age of Ultron. Both Ultron and Strucker are significant parts of the Avengers mythology, which means they have complicated and dense histories, which the film will have to find a way of condensing or entwining in order to do justice to both of the character's origins and relationship with the Avengers. Marvel has been known to focus on one villain as the main antagonist, and slowly establish the second one as a long-term villain who will play a more significant role in the next film. However, in this case, it's impossible to tell if that will be the direction they choose for Age of Ultron, as neither Ultron or Strucker gives of the impression of being a one-and-done character, which makes it all the more important that both characters receive the time and attention they need. The best way to go about this would be to follow in the footsteps of The Dark Knight, which incorporated Two-Face's origin story into the Joker's plot, and allowed them both to succeed as the villains of the piece. If Age of Ultron can find a way to combine the two stories — for example, having Ultron work for HYDRA, or having him be the catalyst for Strucker's founding of the organization — then it might be able to avoid the "multiple villain" curse that haunts superhero films.
With the addition of Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Rhodey, Age of Ultron already has the difficult task of keeping the story from becoming over-crowded with characters, and so, as a result, multiple villains doesn't seem to be a solid plan. They're already having to relegate some of the good guys to background and subplots, which makes it hard to see where writer/director Joss Whedon will be able to fit in the many backstories needed to sustain a proper villain arc. Furthermore, the increased size of the cast seems to be counterintuitive to the "smaller" and "more personal" nature of the story that he has promised, as more characters means there is less room to focus on the individual, be it hero or villain. The Marvel universe has thus far seen great results with its attempts to focus on the psychological and emotional elements of the characters as well as the action that we expect, and the description of the script for Age of Ultron makes it sound as if this will be joining Iron Man 3 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier as successful looks at the inner lives of the heroes. But adding in so many new characters seems to undermine that story thread, and might only result in a film that has too many plots to properly explore anything.
We're hoping that Marvel will be able to avoid the pitfalls that come with having too many villains in a film, and we'd like to see Age of Ultron join the short list of superhero films that have been successful. However, the larger this cast seems to grow, the more reservations we have about whether or not the film will be able to pull it off. It's a delicate balancing act to work so many subplots and backstories into a film that is cohesive and engaging, but Marvel's on a hot streak right now, so we'll just have to hold out hope that Age of Ultron won't allow everything to come crashing down. And if it does, at least they'll have a few dozen more films in which to make things right.
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